


Heat Wave

by bgn846



Series: Heat of the summer [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV, Caretaking, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Heat Stroke, Hurt/Comfort, Iggy gets overworked again, M/M, Massage, Mutual Pining, Over heating, Pining, gladio saves the day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-16
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2019-05-24 01:11:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14944830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bgn846/pseuds/bgn846
Summary: Ignis works himself to the point of exhaustion only to have his car battery die on him during a heat wave.  What could possible go wrong? Brotherhood era: Ignis/18 and Gladio/19.





	Heat Wave

**Author's Note:**

> Kept reading all of these great Gladnis fics and wanted to join the fun. This took WAY longer to write then I expected and it is WAY longer than I figured but I hope you all like it. :)

Ignis knew the instant he turned the key over in the ignition that what he was dreading had occurred; the car battery had finally died.  Serves him right, he had been ignoring the rough starts and puttering for the past week due to his bogged down schedule hoping that he could make it till Monday when he could take it to the Citadel garages and have them fix it. 

Overworking himself had really backfired this week.  He could usually handle the aftermath of exhaustion in private, passed out on his couch, surrounded by paperwork but this was just too much.  He had just wanted to drop off an order to the printer on his way home.  He sighed and leaned forward bumping his head on the steering wheel in defeat.

It was no surprise really that the battery had died this week of all weeks.  Insomnia was in the middle of summer and a record breaking heat wave no less.  Most car batteries on their last legs couldn’t withstand that kind of abuse. 

He was starting to feel the oppressive blanket of hot air clogging his airways since the car wasn’t on and it was making his skin tingle from the rapid onslaught of heat.   He needed to hurry up and formulate a plan to solve his current predicament but his tiredness combined with the heat wasn’t helping.   He could feel the beads of sweat forming on the back of his neck and threatening to trickle down to his collar.

A quick glance around confirmed that most of the stores around him were already closed even though it was only 2:30 in the afternoon.  There was a holiday tomorrow and most businesses would be closing soon if not already and getting ready for the holiday weekend.  That meant he couldn’t call a car service, however he was only a mile or so from his house so perhaps he could just finish his journey on foot and retrieve the car later.  It was in a safe neighborhood and would be fine over the weekend.  

The sweat had started to gather at his collar when he exited the car, it was mildly uncomfortable.  He began looking the car over to make sure everything was in its place and locked up but instantly furrowed his brow and sighed upon sighting the cardboard box in the backseat full of large binders for review over the weekend.  Only Ignis would take so much work home with him for a holiday weekend.

He knew he couldn’t leave them there so he would have to carry the box with him, he had forgotten about it until now.  He stood there waiting for a few seconds and then finally snapped out it, realizing that the longer he stood there delaying the inevitable the longer he would be out in this horrendous heat.

He gathered his messenger bag and slung it over his shoulder and then grudgingly opened the back door and wrestled the box out of the backseat, it was heavier than it looked but the quicker he started this task the quicker he could be home and relaxing.

The first stop he made was only at the end of the first block to sit the box on the ground and remove his suit coat.  A part of his brain knew he should have taken it off before he started but he was stubborn and appearances mattered.   He folded his coat and put it in the messenger bag making a mental note to press it when he got home.

His second stop was two blocks later when he decided that no one on the street, even though there was hardly a soul out, would care if he wasn’t impeccably dressed and removed his vest and treated it in the same manner as the coat before.  He was suddenly reminded of Gladio and his penchant for not wearing shirts, he could understand why in situations like this.  

He twinged slightly at the thought of Gladio shirtless and flushed a bit in his face even though he was already quite red from the heat.  He wasn’t keen to admit that he had been secretly paying more attention to the older man recently.  They had known each other for years but something had started to change.  Things that used to bother him about Gladio he now found endearing, the stupid jokes he would crack, the quick to react temper when he thought his friends were in trouble. 

Now standing on the street he was trying to motivate himself to keep moving forward.  Day dreaming about a fairytale relationship with his friend wasn’t going to get him home any faster.  He probably didn’t even feel the same way but Ignis wasn’t mentally ready to broach that subject anytime soon.

The heat was stifling, he felt like he had lead in his shoes and his arms were burning from holding the box of binders full of paper.  This was not a good day to deal with a dead battery.  What was he thinking the whole week had been an exhausting mess, he had just ramped up his training sessions to a longer time frame and all his meetings had gone over the time allotted meaning he had to skip a few to many meals, he was just spent. 

The next few blocks were a blur, he starting worrying that he had miscalculated the distance to his apartment when he looked up and realized that even though he had been walking for what felt like an eternity he still wasn’t near his neighborhood yet.  He heart was racing and he wasn’t even running, he knew that his body was starting to shut down but he wasn’t prepared for it to take an all-out strike.

He stumbled a bit on the sidewalk and almost dropped his box but that small movement jostled his brain enough and made him see stars for a bit.  He stopped walking and put the box down to rethink his options.  He was breathing too heavily for what was supposed to be simple walk and he doubted his ability to make it home at this point.

A thought flittered into his head for a second to call Gladio but he quickly dismissed it, he didn’t want to bother him on the holiday weekend.  Gladio was probably at home with his family sitting comfortably in a chair, shirtless and drinking something refreshing… _oh astrals he needed to stop_. 

He sighed and forced himself to take his phone out and bit his lip as he hovered over Gladio’s number, debating about calling but his finger acting independently from his brain pressed the button and the phone starting ringing.  Ignis was already making up an excuse as to why he didn’t really need help and was about to hang up when Gladio answered.

“Yo, Iggy whats up?” He answered jovially.  Ignis could hear Iris laughing in the background and what sounded like music. He felt bad instantly and started apologizing for bothering him.

“So sorry to have bothered you Gladiolus I misjudged my need.”

“Hey Iggy you don’t sound like yourself, is something wrong? He asked concerned.  When Ignis didn’t immediately answer he started to get worried. “Ignis can you hear me are you o.k?”

Ignis responded quickly “Oh! Yes sorry I’m o.k. I just need...” he didn’t know what he needed besides a ride home that he was too meek to ask for. 

“Iggy you are freaking me out where are you?”

Ignis’ phone chose this very moment to add insult to injury and proclaim its need of a charge by beeping in his ear loudly.  Panic gripped Ignis as he needed to get to the point fast before his phone died. “Gladio my car battery died and I’m in need of a ride.  I’m just outside of Tadescos market on fifth near the pa…” and the line went dead.

 

* * *

 

 

Gladio was staring at his phone and trying to process what had just happened but it didn’t take him long to kick it into high gear and excuse himself and grab his keys.  Tedescos was near the house so he knew it wouldn’t take long to get there.  Ignis said he was o.k. and hadn’t indicated he was injured in any way but he sounded so drained over the phone. 

He was still worried and drove as fast as he could to where Ignis had said he would be.  True to his word Ignis was standing just near the store with a somewhat large box at his feet looking like he was about to pass out.  

Gladio quickly turned the car around in a u turn and pulled up to the curb beside Ignis, popping his trunk, and hopping out to run over to him. “Hey let me get that for you!” He added hurriedly before Ignis stooped to pick the box up again. But first he took Ignis gently by the elbow and lead him over to the passenger side and opened the door and waited for him to get in. 

Thankfully he didn’t protest and just accepted the help.  Gladio could swear he heard him moan quietly when he relaxed in the seat when he closed the door. He scooped up the box and fuck it was heavy but he deposited it in the trunk anyway and grabbed a bottle of water from the stash he kept in there and made his way back around to the driver’s side anxiously awaiting a reason for all of this.

When he sat down behind the wheel he turned to look at Ignis and he looked horrible.  He had bags under his eyes, his skin was flushed red all over, and he was covered in sweat making his shirt stick to his skin.  He knew he must be overheating terribly for him to loosen his tie and undo his top shirt button.    Ignis prided himself on his appearance and this kind of dishevelment was unnerving.  “Here, you need some water.” As he passed the bottle to Ignis’ slightly trembling hands. 

“Thank you Gladio, I didn’t realize what a state I was in.  I am sorry to have troubled you though I just need a ride home.” Ignis rasped in between breaths.

“Uh you need a little more than that Iggy.” Gladio added incredulously.  “Let’s get you home first and then we can discuss what else that might be.”  As he raised an eyebrow at him.

Ignis went to on to say more but Gladio put his hand up and shushed him.  “Take it easy, you are overheated and need to relax or you’re going to pass out.  You can tell me after we get to your place what happened and why the hell you are carrying around a box of bricks.”

Ignis made an undignified sound in retort to the bricks comment but pressed his lips together and kept quiet.  He had to admit that it was pure bliss to just be sitting in Gladio’s air conditioned car and not attempting to walk around in the miserable heat.  He was also slightly touched by the care the shield was fawning on him, though in his muddled state of mind he wasn’t sure if it was just a friendly gesture or something more on his part.  

Ignis must have zoned out for a bit because when he realized that Gladio was going into his parking garage instead of dropping him off at the front door to the building he began to protest. “Really Gladio it’s o.k. I can make it from here, I don’t want you to miss any more time with your family.”  

“No argument Iggy, I’m making sure you make it up to your apartment and get some rest. You could have passed out on the street if you didn’t call me.  What were you thinking?” He replied pulling into a parking spot.

“It didn’t seem that bad at the time, I just underestimated how tired I really was, sorry.” Ignis added sheepishly he was starting to think that Gladio’s caring was only stemming from his duties as a shield, though misplaced on him right now instead of Noctis. 

“I ain’t mad at you Iggy, I was just worried that’s all. You don’t really ask for help when you need it sometimes and I just don’t want anything bad to happen to you.  Kay?” He looked at him with soft amber eyes and reached out to brush a strand of light brown hair out of the advisors eyes.  “Just be more careful next time.”

Ignis could only nod at him and look back with a weak smile, as he felt his cheeks going pink.  That had not been an expected turn of events.  He had actually reached out and touched him?  He so wished he knew how to get him to do it again.

“Come on lets go, I’ll grab that evil box in the trunk.” And with that Gladio opened the door and popped the trunk once again to grab the offending box.  Ignis just sat in his seat a bit longer trying to think clearly but it just wasn’t happening.  Suddenly his door opened and Gladio was there looking at him concerned. “You o.k.?” He had the box tucked under his long arm and made it look easy to carry.  

“Yes, sorry lost in thought.” He got out of the car and Gladio stayed close by and kept his free hand near the small of Ignis’ back in case he needed support.  Ignis noticed but didn’t say anything; it felt wonderful to have him so close.

Once they had reached the door to Ignis’ apartment he tried again to relieve Gladio of his purpose but he stubbornly refused to leave Ignis alone and insisted he come in to make sure he rested properly. 

Gladio had been in Ignis’ apartment many times before so he knew the layout and quickly found a place for the box on a small table.  He turned around and tugged at Ignis’ bag strap still slung over his shoulder as he stood in place looking dazed. “Hey Iggy, snap out of it.  Let me take your bag and get a bath started to help you cool down.” He didn’t wait for an answer and carefully took the bag off and placed it on the same small table as the box.  When he gently grabbed his arm and started pulling him towards the bathroom Ignis seemed to come back to reality.

He gasped slightly “Oh wait, what’s happening.  Gladio you don’t have to..” but his resolve to fight off his friends gentle ministrations were failing.  So he let him lead him into the bathroom and he sat down on the toilet while Gladio got the bath started with slightly cool water.

“I don’t exactly trust you to stay standing up in the shower.” He smirked while kneeling down on the floor to mess with the water controls. He then leaned over to Ignis and started to carefully remove his tie.  He could feel Ignis hitch his breath every time his hand grazed his chest.  “I’ll go grab you some fresh clothes to change into and I’ll see what I can do about rousting up something to eat in your kitchen.”

Gladio practically ran out of the bathroom, he had to hide the blush that was on his face somehow.  What was it about Ignis sitting there looking so worn out that was just turning him on.  He wanted to take care of him so bad and he hoped Ignis would let him.  He retuned shortly with a pair of sleep pants and dropped them on the sink.  “Do you need help?” He asked quickly as he shut off the water.

Ignis blushed at that. “I believe I’ll be ok.”

“Just call me if you need anything and take a real rest would ya, enjoy the bath!” Gladio spun around and exited the room swiftly closing the door behind him. 

Ignis wondered what would await him when he was done with his bath.  He removed the rest of his clothes and gingerly crawled into the bath.  It was a little cooler than he was expecting but it felt wonderful.  He cleaned himself and washed away all the sweat and dirt from the day.  He was starting to think clearly again. 

Once he felt more like himself he drained the water and slowly got out of the tub and wrapped a soft towel around his body to dry off.  He noticed then that Gladio had only brought him a pair of pants and nothing else.  He was a little self-conscious about that, not that Gladio hadn’t seen him shirtless before but he wondered if it was on purpose or just an action done in haste. 

He finally opened the door and stepped out to what could only be the smell of cup o noodles.  Thing is, he didn’t have any in the house so he temporarily forgot his state of undress and wandered into the kitchen to seek an answer.

Gladio saw Ignis coming and suddenly re-examined his idea of only giving Ignis pants as perhaps a bad one. He was more than a little distracted looking at his toned abs and slender frame slinking into the kitchen to grill him on how he found something he didn’t own. 

He held up his hands in defeat before Ignis even opened his mouth “I hid them the last time I was here.”

“You did what?!”

“Well sometimes we stay up late working on reports and I feel bad when you offer to cook when I know you‘re tired so I figured if I had something around it would make it easier for you.”  

This rendered Ignis speechless he just leaned up against the counter bracing his weight with his hand to keep from swaying in place and stared at Gladio.

“You should sit down and we can eat the noodles, they’re ready.”Gladio was waiting for an acknowledgment of some kind hoping he didn’t just break Ignis by making Cup o Noodles in his kitchen. 

“o.k.” he sighed “You never cease to amaze me Gladio.”

“Hopefully I only amaze you in good ways right?”

Ignis just looked at him again and smiled.  “Maybe if you grabbed me a shirt I might be more amenable to adding this incident to the amaze me in good ways list.”

Gladio grinned back and ran around Ignis to grab him a shirt from his bedroom.  He returned a moment later and held it out to him.  “Just don’t forget your little stunt today of ‘ _I am invincible’_ almost got you on my shit list. Don’t beat yourself up when you have friends to help you.  Please.”  He waited for Ignis to put his shirt on and then reached out a hand and took him under his elbow and pulled him toward the table to sit down.  “Relax and eat.”

They both ate in silence, aside from the random slurping noises that usually accompany any noodle eating event.  Ignis had decided that he was overwhelmed, that could be the only description for it.  He had been given clue after clue that Gladio might like him as well but he was refusing to believe it.  The shield was just being nice and he would help out any of his friends like this.  But then every time they glanced up from the noodle slurping fest and dared to look at each other they both blushed and turned away. 

When they were done eating Gladio cleared the dishes away and then came back and stood next to the table, there was something on his mind but he was waiting for something.  After a moment of silence he ventured “You should rest, your body needs to recuperate from being under too much stress.”

“That sounds good; you have been very kind to me this afternoon. I believe I can handle the rest if you wish to return to your family.” Ignis added a little sadly.

Gladio pursed his lips together and took a deep breath in through his nose and finally let loose his thoughts. “I would actually rather give you a back rub to make you feel better.  You deserve it.” He looked at the floor awaiting a reaction from Ignis.

Ignis stuttered a bit and Gladio could tell he was trying to compose himself.  It was a mistake to have asked that.  He had been thinking that Ignis liked him as well and now it seems he was wrong. 

“Actually, I would like that very much Gladio.” Ignis finally answered staring up at him with vibrant green eyes.

Gladio smiled wide and let out a sigh of relief. He reached out his hand and waited for Ignis to take it.  “You o.k. if you lay on your bed?  I have more space to work that way.  If you’re not comfortable I’ll make do with the couch.”

Ignis looked positively sinful staring at Gladio after he asked about using his bed. “I don’t mind at all, I leave myself in your skilled hands.”

“Damn Iggy, quit it with the looks or I’m not going be able to _just_ give you a back rub.”  

Ignis was getting situated on his bed and suddenly turned around to Gladio. “Is that why you didn’t give me a shirt earlier in the bath?”

“Um Yeah, I was trying to be coy I guess. It didn’t quite work out.”

Ignis snorted but smiled at Gladio and carefully took his shirt off and lay down on the bed on his stomach.   

“Just relax and tell me if I accidently hurt you or anything.”

Ignis just looked at him with one eye and smiled.  Gladio smiled back and got on the bed and gingerly straddled Ignis’ body and let his butt rest on Ignis thighs. “I’m not hurting you right?”

“mmmnnn” Ignis’ eyes were closed already and he looked so peaceful resting there.

Gladio began in the middle of his back and the second his hands touched Ignis’ body he sucked in his breath a bit and moaned.  Gladio waited a bit to make sure it was a pleasurable reaction and then continued.

Every time he made a sweeping motion with his hands or worked a particularly tight muscle Ignis would make a little noise, sometimes it was loud, sometimes it was just a quiet whimper but he was clearly feeling very good. 

Gladio couldn’t get enough of Ignis’ reactions and kept the back rub going as long as he could until his own hands were starting to hurt.  He finally stopped and rolled off of Ignis to the side.  He barely even made a noise and was close to being drug under by sleep.  Gladio realized quickly that he should flip Ignis over on his back so his neck wouldn’t get a crick in it before he really fell fast asleep.

He took a hold of his shoulder firmly and pulled to rotate Ignis and get him comfortable again.  When he was sure that he was situated well he glanced down and was surprised at two emerald eyes staring up at him.  “Please tell me that I don’t have to suffer from heat exhaustion every time to get this kind of treatment.  That felt brilliant.”

“Nah, you just have to ask.  You should go to sleep” Gladio responded with a toothy grin

“Will you stay?”

“If that’s what you want I will”

Ignis closed his eyes again and just smiled. “Yes I would like that and then tomorrow you can assist me in retrieving my car.”

“I’m not carrying that evil box around anymore though.” Gladio laughed as he drug Ignis closer and they just clung to each other and let sleep take them.

**Author's Note:**

> Couldn't help myself and wrote a follow up for what happened the morning after.... [Simmering](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15108524)


End file.
